Chapter 71: Look, Dalaran! |
After Allen and the others finished packing at the inn, they hurried toward the harbor.
He had split the pouch of gems he got from Bertol with Morgan and the others. After all, he had promised to help Stella make a fortune, and to assist Morgan in moving his wife and daughter to Stormwind.
Morgan didn’t react much. Stella, seeing such fine gems for the first time, had her eyes light up and murmured that she would pass them down to her descendants.
Last night, when he returned to that little cabin, Hobert, whom he had tied up like a dumpling, was gone. The ropes were cut, blankets scattered, windows thrown open.
There was nothing to be done about that—if he hadn’t arrived at the dock in time, the consequences would have been terrible.
Allen had already reported the matter to General Vester; wanted posters had been posted all over Menethil Harbor, including one for the man who spiked the food in the barracks.
As he hurried along, a question suddenly popped into Allen’s mind.
Why, after parting with Wen Laisa, did there suddenly stop being any carriages available?
He looked up at the busy citizens and soldiers along the road. While he was wondering this, a group of townsfolk recognized them and waved gratefully. A crowd quickly gathered.
Allen nodded in satisfaction at that, but the next second—
A young girl rushed up to Morgan with a bouquet, “Hero! Thank you! Thank you for protecting us! The Light will surely favor you!”
Morgan blinked, then refused with solemn courtesy, “Thank you for your support, but I already have a wife. I can’t accept your flowers.”
The girl froze, her hands stiffening around the bouquet.
A smaller child squeezed forward, looking up with shining eyes.
“Knight brother! When I grow up I want to be a Paladin! Do you think I can do it?”
Morgan crouched to meet the child’s gaze, his voice gentle and firm, “Child, the Light will shine upon anyone with a good heart. As long as your heart seeks justice and your feet have a path, you will become who you aspire to be.”
Allen raised an eyebrow. Fine, it was a little awkward, but he didn’t care much for such hollow titles.
Stella’s big eyes darted between them. She poked Morgan’s armor and whispered, “Uncle Morgan, what a pity. You won’t be able to adventure with us anymore.”
Morgan looked puzzled, “What do you mean?”
Allen expressionlessly rapped Stella on the head.
“Ouch!” Stella clutched her head and sulked to one side with teary eyes.
At that moment, Allen’s sharp senses picked up murmurs from the crowd.
“Have you heard? Last night, an Archmage Allen from Stormwind single-handedly defended the harbor!”
“Not only that! My sister’s husband’s brother’s uncle is General Vester’s assistant. I heard this Archmage Allen’s power is unfathomable, his magic deeper than the sea!”
“What do you all know? My house is by the dock. Last night I saw it—Master Allen single-handedly held three dragons! Those black big lizards saw him and ran away with their tails between their legs!”
Allen’s mouth twitched upward slightly.
He really didn’t like this kind of attention. Thankfully they didn’t recognize him, otherwise the praise would have been unbearably awkward.
“But, but, my second aunt’s niece’s daughter is a maid for the count, and I heard that this dragon slayer used black magic; he’s actually a dark wizard.”
Allen expressionlessly urged the two beside him, “Move, move, time’s wasting.”
Just then, a hand waved at him.
It was the tavern owner from earlier.
Allen reflexively reached for his coin pouch. Right—he hadn’t paid for the drinks yet. He was about to apologize when the tavern owner laughed and shouted,
“Young man! Young man! Thank you! I misjudged you! Thanks for protecting my tavern! If you ever come back to Menethil Harbor, my doors are always open to you, drinks on the house!”
Allen’s mouth curved again. Never mind. Although he didn’t care about Count Bertol’s life, these ordinary people did matter to him.
---------------
The fleet’s flagship set sail again.
Captain Daelin and the others, unlike the stingy nobles of Menethil Harbor, rewarded Allen and the others with twenty-four gold coins to thank them for their help.
Allen, only just learning that the Kul Tiras navy actually paid rewards, regretted splitting Bertol’s pouch of gems so hastily—turns out there was money to be had here.
Besides that, as thanks for Allen twice saving the daughter of Kul Tiras, Kul Tiras would gift him a precious treasure.
Once they returned to Kul Tiras, someone would personally deliver it to Allen.
Allen looked forward to it—would the Kul Tiras treasure be some powerful gear?
What he didn’t know was that Captain Daelin only planned to give ten gold coins; the rest of the money and the treasure had actually been personally funded by Jaina.
To everyone’s surprise, the voyage went without incident and the fleet quickly reached Southsea Town.
The coastline around Southsea Town was shallow; large ships couldn’t dock directly and had to stop in the bay. Captain Daelin stood on deck directing sailors to lower several small boats.
Jaina hadn’t seen Allen these past few days.
Worried he might read too much into it, she had begged Captain Daelin not to reveal that she had been backing him. Surprisingly obedient, the captain kept his mouth shut.
Allen had kept to his room all these days and hadn’t come to see her even once.
She had been busy steadying morale aboard the ship—this was no time for sightseeing and play.
Now she stood at the rail, clutching the little pouch. Her gaze kept drifting to the other end of the deck where he was talking with Morgan, unaware of her.
She lowered her head and looked at the pouch.
Soon she would be able to travel by land with him. Alone. On land. They would have lots of time to talk. Lots.
She would make sure to thank him properly. And to ask why he had given the pouch.
Yes, just to thank him. A perfectly ordinary thank-you, nothing more.
But when Jaina finally gathered the courage to speak—
“Hey, the small boats are ready! Let’s get off!”
Allen grabbed Stella and, without climbing down the ladder, an Anywhere Door appeared on the small boat.
A flash of white light; he was back on deck, grabbed Morgan, and vanished again.
Jaina’s words stuck in her throat. She lowered her head, disappointed.
Then a white light flashed, and Allen suddenly appeared before her.
“Can a lady like you get down by yourself? Do you know Blink?”
Jaina’s breath caught for a moment.
“I…,” she hesitated, “no.”
Allen raised an eyebrow, “So can you or not?”
Paval hastily answered to vouch, “No! Miss Jaina can’t! Really can’t! Absolutely can’t!”
“Oh, then I’ll take you down with me.”
Jaina clutched the little pouch, pressing it to her chest. Her heart pounded as if it would leap out.
She reached out her hand.
Allen only placed a hand on her shoulder.
A flash of white light.
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The trip from shore went smoothly.
Jaina rented a carriage in Southsea Town, and everyone enjoyed the luxury of having seats again.
But along the road Jaina was unusually quiet—one moment icy-cold, the next flustered and anxious.
No one knew what had come over her.
At that moment, Stella, leaning against the carriage window, suddenly pointed excitedly into the distance.
“Look, are we there yet?”
Everyone gathered to look.
That legendary city of magic slowly unfurled before them.
Dalaran, the magnificent city woven from countless arcane spires, looked like a giant amethyst set on the land, refracting a dazzling, entrancing halo in the sunlight.
Morgan tilted his head back, staring at the city bathed in magical light, murmuring, “May the Light watch over us…”
Jaina’s eyes brightened; she seemed to feel the surging magic in the air.
The city of magic gently chased away some of the sorrow in her heart.
Allen stared at the city.
Dalaran.
He had been here countless times in the game, but standing before it in person made him finally understand what “city of magic” meant.
No amount of data, textures, or models could capture even one ten-thousandth of this moment.
Dalaran’s gate was lower than Stormwind’s but far more exquisite.
Two tall towers flanked the gate, their surfaces carved with dense runes; atop each tower hovered a huge Arcane Eye, slowly turning and watching every person passing in and out.
“Please pass through one at a time. Do not linger.”
They all disembarked and followed orders, each passing beneath the sweeping gaze of the great Arcane Eyes.
Until...
The moment Allen stepped through the gate, a sudden unease hit him.
The two Arcane Eyes snapped toward Allen and locked onto him.
Shadow... Void... dangerous element.
The Arcane Eyes rotated, blinking rapidly, then stopped. A piercing alarm ripped through Dalaran’s tranquility.
Everyone at the gate froze and turned in unison.
The Kirin Tor battle mages guarding the gate raised their wands.
Allen stood still and drew a deep breath.
Damn.
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